A long time ago, or maybe just early February, Bungie announced they were overhauling swords for the upcoming season (which happens to be THIS season). Never having really used a sword, but wanting to be prepared, I asked people I played with if they had any recommendations for good swords to get.

Squid didn't hesitate. "Steel Sybil with Relentless Strikes and Whirlwind Blade."

Okay, I read over a bunch of the different perks, and my eyes glazed over; I couldn't tell the difference between Tireless or Whirlwind, Enduring or Balanced... so I just took Squid at his word. When a Steel Sybil with those two perks dropped, I masterworked it and forgot about swords altogether.

Yesterday, Fallout released a monster (30 minute) sword tutorial:

He spends a lot of time explaining all of the different possible perks, and settles on what he considers to be a god roll:

Relentless Strikes and Whirlwind Blade.

I've been hacking away all season at stuff - swords are truly power weapons right now. (That's gonna go away when the season ends, and the artifact mods Enhanced Sword Scavenger, Disrupting Blade, and Passive Guard disappear, so enjoy them while you can.) After taking Fallout's Swords 101 class, though, I have to send a thank-you to Squid, who set me up with the perfect tool before I even really knew how they worked.

I didn’t play much this season, obviously, but I can absolutely say that I like the new sword system. It’s the first time that swords have ever actually felt really good to use. I didn’t play enough to know if they really ironed out the hit detection issues, but it’s the first time I felt good slicing my way through groups of enemies.

I hope that swords being good isn’t as reliant as you say on those specific perks.

How were they changed? What’s the basics.

How were they changed? What’s the basics.

https://destiny.bungie.org/bwu/304

Scroll down to 'Cutting Edge'

For me, it’s about how they feel. Light attacks chain better and fell far more fluid. Previously, it always felt like you were automatically locked onto an enemy, and even if your sword went through multiple enemies, it only seemed to really affect the one you were targeting. Not it feels about more freeform—moving through a group of enemies chaining light attacks feels far more fluid than it used to, and it seems that a single swing can hit multiple enemies.

Now, I only used a sword very briefly and it over a month ago. I didn’t do any extensive testing, but I recall it feeling far better. I couldn’t really answer to their actual effectiveness compared to how they used to be. Partly that’s because they weren’t any fun before, so I never used them very much.

I hope that swords being good isn’t as reliant as you say on those specific perks.

Well, swords won't be so powerful against Champions after Disrupting Blade is gone, and Passive Guard makes a HUGE difference in how long you can stand at the feet of a boss and whack his ankles without getting crushed (I've found this out a couple of times when I forget to swap the appropriate class item). They'll still be good - but not quite to the level they're at now, I don't think.

After taking Fallout's Swords 101 class, though, I have to send a thank-you to Squid, who set me up with the perfect tool before I even really knew how they worked.

The true irony here is that I don't know how they work. Relentless Strike/Whirlwind Blade was what I thought was good before the changes - it's how I did this:
Maximum Damage.

I've been mostly just using it the same way I did before the changes, but after rereading Bungie's update maybe I should watch the video and get in on all this fun I've apparently allowed you to have.

A few final notes: "Abide the Return", a Dreaming City world drop, is a Solar Sword that can also roll this perk combination. The other perk combination I would have recommended would have been Tireless Blace/En Guard for more sparing use of a the heavy attack, rather than frequent use of the light attack.

I hope that swords being good isn’t as reliant as you say on those specific perks.

For what it’s worth, I have been doing great with swords without any of those perks (and I mainly use Zephyr, which has a static “enduring guard” roll, which is deemed mostly useless by Fallout). They’re pretty great on almost any enemy, although the lunge is wonky still (I occasionally swing past enemies with the heavy swing).

Squid didn't hesitate. "Steel Sybil with Relentless Strikes and Whirlwind Blade."

He spends a lot of time explaining all of the different possible perks, and settles on what he considers to be a god roll:

Relentless Strikes and Whirlwind Blade.

This really just feeds into my vault hoarding obsession. DIM tells me I have a Steel Sybil, along with an Abide the Return, with those perks. I haven't played this season but from what you've said, the perks from this season's artifact play a big role in why that combination is so much fun. Every weapon is one patch away from being a god roll.

-SR

Squid didn't hesitate. "Steel Sybil with Relentless Strikes and Whirlwind Blade."

He spends a lot of time explaining all of the different possible perks, and settles on what he considers to be a god roll:

Relentless Strikes and Whirlwind Blade.

This really just feeds into my vault hoarding obsession. DIM tells me I have a Steel Sybil, along with an Abide the Return, with those perks. I haven't played this season but from what you've said, the perks from this season's artifact play a big role in why that combination is so much fun. Every weapon is one patch away from being a god roll.

...if you don't use it!

Just having it in your vault doesn't help you have fun. Taking it OUT of your vault does... but none of the posts you've made recently suggest that you do much of that. :)

I was in exactly the same boat you find yourself in right now - the need to ensure that no fantastic roll gets deleted accidentally. The only way I keep things under control is by telling myself that if I haven't touched the damn thing in a year, I don't need it, regardless of what the meta changes to.

When did it last spark joy?

...Why am I talking to my guns?

Then the gun laughs back.

..."So uh, this moonshine is a secret family recipe?"

It's a good engine degreaser and paint remover too.